'Chronicles Of Narnia' Netflix Series Brings In 'Coco' Writer Matthew Aldrich
Netflix announced a Chronicles of Narnia TV series and a new batch of movie adaptations last year, and now it looks like the streaming service is finally getting ready to step through the wardrobe. Matthew Aldrich, co-writer of Pixar's Coco, has been brought in to serve as the Chronicles of Narnia Netflix series architect, overseeing development and creative decisions on multiple projects.
THR is reporting that Matthew Aldrich will oversee the Chronicles of Narnia for Netflix. Aldrich will "shepherd all development and creative on the multiple adaptations." Netflix made a deal with the C.S. Lewis Company to bring the world of Narnia to their streaming service, and the search for the right person to oversee the project was apparently extensive, with Aldrich winning the job in the end.
When the deal was first announced, Netflix revealed the planned to "develop classic stories from across the Narnia universe into series and films for its members worldwide."
"C.S. Lewis' beloved Chronicles of Narnia stories have resonated with generations of readers around the world," said Ted Sarandos, Netflix's Chief Content Officer. "Families have fallen in love with characters like Aslan and the entire world of Narnia, and we're thrilled to be their home for years to come."
Douglas Gresham, stepson of C.S. Lewis, said: "It is wonderful to know that folks from all over are looking forward to seeing more of Narnia, and that the advances in production and distribution technology have made it possible for us to make Narnian adventures come to life all over the world. Netflix seems to be the very best medium with which to achieve this aim, and I am looking forward to working with them towards this goal."
The Narnia series was published between 1950 and 1956, and began with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and continued with Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy, The Magician's Nephew, and The Last Battle. The stories focused on the Pevensie siblings – Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy – who step through a magic wardrobe into the fantastical land of Narnia.
The Narnia books were previously adapted into a film series, starting with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in 2005, followed by Prince Caspian in 2008 and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in 2010. At that point, the film series ground to a halt, although there was some talk of next adapting The Silver Chair. Instead, the rights eventually went to Netflix, who will now set out to bring Narnia to life again.